European countries favour Warangal chilli

A representative of the European Commission health and consumer protection directorate general, Philer Aguruea, took chilli samples with her during her visit to the region, after several European countries showed interest in importing a particular Warangal district variety called paprika, grown by farmers without using pesticide or fertiliser.

Farmers in eight villages in Narsampet, Nallabelli, Duggondi and Nekkonda mandals have grown the chilli in an estimated 475 hectares adopting integrated pest management methods.

Farmer Rajeswara Rao of Rangapuram village said they had doubts about growing paprika without pesticide or fertiliser, but the new method proved to be fruitful and were able to grow between 12-15 quintals per acre, simultaneously cutting expenditure to Rs9,000 per acre against Rs15,000 when pesticides and chemicals were used. Now, farmers use vermicompost and neem oil and other such organic means to control pests.

Farmers who came also to the agricultural expo organised by the Spice Board in that district were impressed by the success of chilli farmers' experiment encouraged a great deal by the Spices Board of the federal government and Modern Architects for Rural India who decided to persuade farmers to stop using pesticides and fertilisers.

From sowing to preserving only conventional methods were used – for sowing; used seeds of chapaataa, a local chilli variety.

A Mumbai based export company, Anil & Co and a Dutch firm, Unifine, took samples of the chilli and expressed their satisfaction after laboratory tests, according to the Spice Board.

On the other hand the tried and tested UN sponsored International Crop Research Institution for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said it will develop a part of its 3,000 acres into an agro-eco-tourism zone by December. The biggest research institution in India is home to thousands of nestling birds, seasonal migration of birds, flora and fauna.

"If you have intrinsic assets to make money, why not use it," asked their farm and engineering services head NSS Prasad.